Insert ascii or unicode latin based symbols and characters

ASCII and Unicode character encoding enables computers to store and exchange data with other computers and programs. Below are lists of frequently used ASCII and Unicode Latin-based characters. For Unicode characters for non-Latin-based scripts, see Unicode character code charts by script.

In this article

• Insert an ASCII or Unicode character into a document

• Common symbol character codes

• Common diacritical character codes

• Common ligature character codes

• ASCII nonprinting control characters

• More information

Insert an ASCII or Unicode character into a document

If you only have to enter a few special characters or symbols, you can use the Character Map or type keyboard shortcuts. See the tables below, or see Keyboard shortcuts for international characters for a list of ASCII characters.

Notes: 

• Many languages contain symbols that could not be condensed into the 256-characters Extended ACSII set. As such, there are ASCII and Unicode variations to encompass regional characters and symbols, see Unicode character code charts by script.

• If you have trouble entering the characters codes for the characters that you want, try using the Character Map.

Inserting ASCII characters

To insert an ASCII character, press and hold down ALT while typing the character code. For example, to insert the degree (º) symbol, press and hold down ALT while typing 0176 on the numeric keypad.

You must use the numeric keypad to type the numbers, and not the keyboard. Make sure that the NUM LOCK key is on if your keyboard requires it to type numbers on the numeric keypad.

Inserting Unicode characters

To insert a Unicode character, type the character code, press ALT, and then press X. For example, to type a dollar symbol ($), type 0024, press ALT, and then press X. For more Unicode character codes, see Unicode character code charts by script.

Important: Some of the Microsoft Office programs, such as PowerPoint and InfoPath, cannot convert Unicode codes to characters. If you need a Unicode character and are using one of the programs that doesn't support Unicode characters, use the Character Map to enter the character(s) that you need.

Notes: 

• If ALT+X converts the wrong character code into Unicode, select the correct character code before pressing ALT+X.

• Alternatively, precede the correct character code with the text "U+".  For example, typing "1U+B5" and pressing ALT+X will always return the text "1µ", while typing "1B5" and pressing ALT+X will return the text "Ƶ".

Using the Character Map

Character Map is a program built into Microsoft Windows that enables you to view the characters that are available in a selected font.

Using Character Map, you can copy individual characters or a group of characters to the Clipboard and paste them into any program that can display them. To open Character Map:

• In Windows 10: Type "character" in the search box on the task bar, and choose Character Map from the results.

• In Windows 8: Search for the word "character" on the Start screen and choose Character Map from the results.

• In Windows 7: Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Character Map.

Characters are grouped by font. Click the fonts list to choose a set of characters. To select a character, click the character, click Select, click the right mouse button in your document where you want the character, and then click Paste.

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Common symbol character codes

For more character symbols, see the Character Map installed on your computer, ASCII character codes, or Unicode character code charts by script.

Glyph	Code	Glyph	Code
Currency symbols
£	ALT+0163	¥	ALT+0165
¢	ALT+0162	$	0024+ALT+X
€	ALT+0128	¤	ALT+0164
Legal symbols
©	ALT+0169	®	ALT+0174
§	ALT+0167	™	ALT+0153
Mathematical symbols
°	ALT+0176	º	ALT+0186
√	221A+ALT+X	+	ALT+43
#	ALT+35	µ	ALT+0181
<	ALT+60	>	ALT+62
%	ALT+37	(	ALT+40
[	ALT+91	)	ALT+41
]	ALT+93	∆	2206+ALT+X
Fractions
¼	ALT+0188	½	ALT+0189
		¾	ALT+0190
Punctuation and dialectic symbols
?	ALT+63	¿	ALT+0191
!	ALT+33	‼	203+ALT+X
-	ALT+45	'	ALT+39
"	ALT+34	,	ALT+44
.	ALT+46	|	ALT+124
/	ALT+47	\	ALT+92
`	ALT+96	^	ALT+94
«	ALT+0171	»	ALT+0187
«	ALT+174	»	ALT+175
~	ALT+126	&	ALT+38
:	ALT+58	{	ALT+123
;	ALT+59	}	ALT+125
Form symbols
□	25A1+ALT+X	√	221A+ALT+X

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Common diacritical character codes

For a complete list of the glyphs and their character codes, see the Character Map.

Glyph	Code		Glyph	Code
Ã	ALT+0195		å	ALT+0229
Å	ALT+143		å	ALT+134
Ä	ALT+142		ä	ALT+132
À	ALT+0192		à	ALT+133
Á	ALT+0193		á	ALT+160
Â	ALT+0194		â	ALT+131
Ç	ALT+128		ç	ALT+135
Č	010C+ALT+X		č	010D+ALT+X
É	ALT+144		é	ALT+130
È	ALT+0200		è	ALT+138
Ê	ALT+202		ê	ALT+136
Ë	ALT+203		ë	ALT+137
Ĕ	0114+ALT+X		ĕ	0115+ALT+X
Ğ	011E+ALT+X		ğ	011F+ALT+X
Ģ	0122+ALT+X		ģ	0123+ALT+X
Ï	ALT+0207		ï	ALT+139
Î	ALT+0206		î	ALT+140
Í	ALT+0205		í	ALT+161
Ì	ALT+0204		ì	ALT+141
Ñ	ALT+165		ñ	ALT+164
Ö	ALT+153		ö	ALT+148
Ô	ALT+212		ô	ALT+147
Ō	014C+ALT+X		ō	014D+ALT+X
Ò	ALT+0210		ò	ALT+149
Ó	ALT+0211		ó	ALT+162
Ø	ALT+0216		ø	00F8+ALT+X
Ŝ	015C+ALT+X		ŝ	015D+ALT+X
Ş	015E+ALT+X		ş	015F+ALT+X
Ü	ALT+154		ü	ALT+129
Ū	ALT+016A		ū	016B+ALT+X
Û	ALT+0219		û	ALT+150
Ù	ALT+0217		ù	ALT+151
Ú	00DA+ALT+X		ú	ALT+163
Ÿ	0159+ALT+X		ÿ	ALT+152

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Character codes for ligature characters

For more information about typographic ligatures, see Typographic ligature. For a complete list of the ligatures and their character codes, see the Character Map.

Glyph	Code		Glyph	Code
Æ	ALT+0198		æ	ALT+0230
ß	ALT+0223		ß	ALT+225
Œ	ALT+0140		œ	ALT+0156
			ʩ	02A9+ALT+X
ʣ	02A3+ALT+X		ʥ	02A5+ALT+X
ʪ	02AA+ALT+X		ʫ	02AB+ALT+X
ʦ	0246+ALT+X		ʧ	02A7+ALT+X
Љ	0409+ALT+X		Ю	042E+ALT+X
Њ	040A+ALT+X		Ѿ	047E+ALT+x
Ы	042B+ALT+X		Ѩ	0468+ALT+X
Ѭ	049C+ALT+X		ﷲ	FDF2+ALT+X

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ASCII nonprinting control characters

ASCII table numbers 0–31 are assigned for control characters used to control some peripheral devices such as printers. For example, 12 represents the form feed/new page function. This command instructs a printer to go to the top of the next page.

ASCII nonprinting control characters chart

Decimal	Character		Decimal	Character
null	0		data link escape	16
start of heading	1		device control 1	17
start of text	2		device control 2	18
end of text	3		device control 3	19
end of transmission	4		device control 4	20
inquiry	5		negative acknowledge	21
acknowledge	6		synchronous idle	22
bell	7		end of transmission block	23
backspace	8		cancel	24
horizontal tab	9		end of medium	25
line feed/new line	10		substitute	26
vertical tab	11		escape	27
form feed/new page	12		file separator	28
carriage return	13		group separator	29
shift out	14		record separator	30
shift in	15		unit separator	31
space	32		DEL	127

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More information

• ASCII character codes

• Hebrew keyboard

• Keyboard shortcuts for international characters

• Insert a check mark or other symbol